The US federal government shutdown that began a few days ago is starting to affect the country’s economy, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday (October 13) as the closure entered its 13th day.
“This is getting serious. It’s starting to affect the real economy,” Bessent told Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” program, without offering more detail.
According to Bessent, in order to allow members of the US military to pay their salaries, the government is having to hold back payments to other federal workers and services such as the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo, which could cause concern for those working in the field.
Also Read: White House Warns Layoffs Are Imminent as Government Shutdown Begins
“We are having to shuffle things around. We are having to furlough workers here in DC and around the country,” he said in the interview.
Besant reiterated his previous statement in the interview that the shutdown has halted USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) operations, which is cutting off US aid to farmers. He noted that official economic data from the US Treasury will also be released after the shutdown ends.
Reuters’s reporting contributed to this article.